Sheep deaths: OHRC seeks report from Odisha Gov

Cuttack: The sheep mass killing incident at Niali has now come under the scanner of Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC). The commission on Wednesday sought report from state government about measures taken to protect sheep and other domestic animals from the attack of alleged unknown creature in Niali and initiatives taken to wipe out fear from minds of locals affected by the incident.

The commission has issued notice to State Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wild Life, collectors of, Cuttack and Khurdha, SP (rural) Cuttack, DCP Bhubaneswar to submit their replies within two weeks.

Taking up a petition filed by High Court lawyer Nishikant Mishra, Acting Chairman of the Commission Justice (Retd) BK Mishra issued the notices to as many as seven Government officials, including the Cuttack district Collector.

On the other hand, the situation in Niali is turning for the worse by each passing day as the killer animals are yet to be captured or spotted even as the official guards are deputed in the affected areas for last three nights.

Sources said the Forest Department is going to instal CCTV cameras on Wednesday night at some vantage locations to capture the images of the killer animals. Forest Minister Bijayshree Routray said on Wednesday that it is a wolf which has been killing sheep and eating their livers.